How to clean a front loading washing machine: fast & hassle-free methods
Your washing machine helps you care for your family’s laundry, but after a while your machine may need cleaning. If you notice a smell in your laundry room or see buildup and grime inside your washer drum, it may be time to give your appliance a proper clean. Use this guide to learn how to clean your front load washer to help get rid of smells.
Why does my front load washer smell?
Over time, water and laundry products like detergent and fabric softener may create residue buildup inside your washer. In some cases, without regular cleaning or proper usage, the warm, damp environment might also cause mold and mildew growth in the washer drum and along the door gasket, leading to a smelly washing machine.
Select Whirlpool® Washing Machines offer a revolutionary approach to laundry freshness with their innovative FreshFlow™ Vent System. This is the first fan-powered system with antimicrobial protection, designed to help keep your clothes and washer fresh. This trio of freshness features include the Dry Drum Cycle, FanFresh® Option, and Antimicrobial rubber seal, which helps prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
How often should I clean my front load washer?
Your washer cleaning schedule may vary depending on how frequently you do laundry. Generally, it is recommended that you clean your washer after every 30 cycles as part of your appliance maintenance routine. For the average household, this translates to cleaning your washer about once a month.1
While some machines require manual cleaning, select Whirlpool® Washers offer a Clean Washer Cycle that uses high water volumes and a cleaner, such as affresh® Washer Cleaner1, to clean your washing machine’s interior.
How long does it take to clean a front load washer?
Cleaning times may vary depending on the soil level of your machine and wash cycle times, but it will typically take between 10-15 minutes in addition to the run time of your washing machine’s cleaning cycle.
How to clean a front load washer
Use the following instructions along with your appliance’s user care guide to learn how to wash your front load washer and get rid of smells to help keep your family’s laundry smelling fresh and clean.
Supplies
Washing machine cleaner, like affresh® tablets
Cleaning wipes (optional)
Clean, dry towels or rags
- Mild detergent, like Swash® Laundry Detergent2
1. Empty your washing machine
Before you begin, remove any laundry from the washer drum.
2. Place washer cleaner inside your machine
If you’re using affresh® Washing Machine Cleaner, place the tablet on the bottom of the washer drum. If you don’t have affresh® tablets, you can sometimes use other cleaning products like liquid chlorine bleach, although bleach isn’t compatible with every washer, so check your user manual to be sure.
3. Select a wash cycle
Once you’ve added your cleaning products, close the washer door, select your wash cycle and press start. Some washing machines offer a washer cleaning cycle, but a normal wash cycle using a hot water setting or a sanitize cycle can also be effective.
4. Clean the door gasket
Using a cleaning wipe or damp cloth, clean the gasket and interior door window. When cleaning the gasket, make sure to wipe under the rubber lip to thoroughly clean every crevice.
5. Clean the detergent dispenser
Some dispensers are removable, some aren’t. If you have a removable detergent dispenser, take it out of the machine and either soak it in hot water or clean it with mild detergent before rinsing and drying it. For a dispenser that cannot be removed, use a cleaning wipe or all-purpose cleaner to wipe down its surface. Dry with a clean towel.
6. Schedule a service
If you’re still noticing a smell coming from your washing machine after you have cleaned it thoroughly, you may need to schedule maintenance service with a licensed technician to further investigate the issue.
Shop affresh® laundry cleaners
Keep your laundry room looking and smelling clean with the help of affresh® laundry cleaning products. Affresh® cleaners are formulated to remove the odor-causing residues and grime that laundry loads can leave behind.
Tips for keeping your front load washer clean and smelling fresh
To help keep front-load washers fresh and odor-free, follow key practices like running a hot water cycle every so often, using cleaners such as affresh® laundry cleaning tablets, leaving the washer door ajar when not in use and unloading your washer as soon as possible after the cycle ends.
If you typically use cold water in your laundry routine, run a hot water cycle every once in a while to help clear out detergent buildup.
Always leave the washer door ajar after a wash cycle to allow proper airflow while the washer dries.
Maintain a regular cleaning schedule for your washing machine.
Unload your washer as soon as the cycle ends to help prevent mold and mildew growth.
Select Whirlpool® Washing Machines offer features to help keep clothes fresh if you can't unload them immediately.
The FanFresh® Option uses a built-in fan and periodic tumbling to keep clothes fresh for up to 12 hours after the cycle ends, using less energy than rewashing.
The TumbleFresh™ Option periodically tumbles clean clothes for up to 12 hours, ensuring they stay fresh until you're ready to transfer them to the dryer.
If your laundry room is typically damp or humid, place a dehumidifier in the room.
Should you leave the door open on a front-loading washer?
The gasket seal on your washer door prevents leaks during the wash cycle, but the seal can also prevent the empty tub from drying properly when the door is closed. It is recommended to leave your front load washer door ajar after a wash cycle to allow airflow and help prevent mildew growth.
Select Whirlpool® Washing Machines offer advanced features to combat moisture and odor-causing bacteria. The innovative Dry Drum Cycle uses a powerful fan to reduce excess moisture from the drum, rubber gasket and door after you remove your clothes. Simply close the washer door and select this cycle to help ensure thorough drying.
Additionally, select washers are equipped with an antimicrobial rubber seal, which helps prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria and mold.
Shop Whirlpool® Front Load Washers
Whirlpool® Front Load Washers combine flexible installation options with innovative features that help you care for your family's clothes. Select models now feature the FreshFlow™ Vent System, the first fan-powered system with antimicrobial protection designed to help keep both your clothes and washer fresh. This advanced technology works in tandem with an antimicrobial rubber seal, which helps prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Other models feature the Steam Clean Option which gets deep into fabrics with increased wash action and heat, or the Presoak Option, where extra time is added in the washer before the wash cycle, which starts automatically when the option is complete. These thoughtfully-designed Whirlpool® Washers offer a comprehensive solution for maintaining freshness and cleanliness in your laundry routine.
Was this article helpful? Pass it on
Learn more with Whirlpool brand
home heartbeat
Ready for more tips, home hacks and appliance guides?
1. affresh® brand products and the recommending brands' products are all owned and distributed by Whirlpool Corporation
2. Swash® products and the recommending brands’ products are all owned and distributed by Whirlpool Corporation
